© 2004 CDHS College Relations Group BSC/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Diversity Issues in Foster Care and Adoption Kelly Jackson, MSW, CSW, PhD student.

© 2004 CDHS College Relations © 2004 CDHS College Relations Group BSC/SUNY at Buffalo ResGroup BSC/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundationearch Foundation

Diversity Issues in Diversity Issues in Foster Care and Foster Care and

AdoptionAdoptionKelly Jackson,Kelly Jackson, MSW, CSW, PhD studentMSW, CSW, PhD student

Hilary Weaver, Associate ProfessorHilary Weaver, Associate ProfessorState University of New York at BuffaloState University of New York at Buffalo

Latise Hairston, Child Welfare Sr. TrainerLatise Hairston, Child Welfare Sr. TrainerWendy Macpherson, Child Welfare TrainerWendy Macpherson, Child Welfare Trainer


What is Diversity?What is Diversity?

““The Fact or quality of being different”The Fact or quality of being different” Cultural DiversityCultural Diversity Individual DiversityIndividual Diversity Social DiversitySocial Diversity


Diversity Issues in Foster Care and Diversity Issues in Foster Care and Adoption: OutlineAdoption: Outline

In the News….In the News…. Current Diversity IssuesCurrent Diversity Issues LegislationLegislation ResourcesResources


In the News…In the News…

Religious Practices: Atlanta, Georgia Religious Practices: Atlanta, Georgia (2001)(2001)

Sensitivity to Minority Clients: San Sensitivity to Minority Clients: San Francisco, CA (2004)Francisco, CA (2004)


Diversity Issues in Foster Care and Diversity Issues in Foster Care and AdoptionAdoption

Transracial adoptionTransracial adoption Same-sex adoptionSame-sex adoption Engaging diverse Families (Native Engaging diverse Families (Native

American)American) Religious Beliefs and PracticesReligious Beliefs and Practices


Transracial AdoptionTransracial Adoption

OverviewOverview Societal BeliefsSocietal Beliefs PurposePurpose PrevalencePrevalence


Transracial AdoptionTransracial Adoption

How it May Impact Children and FamiliesHow it May Impact Children and Families Loss of Self beliefLoss of Self belief Whose views?Whose views?

How it May Impact Human Service How it May Impact Human Service WorkersWorkers Different personal BeliefsDifferent personal Beliefs Opposing client beliefsOpposing client beliefs


Practice RecommendationsPractice Recommendations

Awareness and assessmentAwareness and assessment Assessment instrument Assessment instrument


Same-sex AdoptionSame-sex Adoption

OverviewOverview On the riseOn the rise Societal beliefsSocietal beliefs



How it may impact children and familiesHow it may impact children and families Increase placement optionsIncrease placement options Resistance by Birth parentsResistance by Birth parents Depends on where you goDepends on where you go Concerns for child developmentConcerns for child development


Same-sex adoptionSame-sex adoption

How it may impact workersHow it may impact workers Stereotypes and misperceptionsStereotypes and misperceptions Personal beliefs vs. agency valuesPersonal beliefs vs. agency values



Practice RecommendationsPractice Recommendations Recruitment and support servicesRecruitment and support services Training and educationTraining and education AwarenessAwareness


Protecting and engaging the Native Protecting and engaging the Native American CommunityAmerican Community

OverviewOverview HistoryHistory Cultural LossCultural Loss High removal ratesHigh removal rates



How it may impact children and familiesHow it may impact children and families Different family valuesDifferent family values Community distrustCommunity distrust Treat of cultural lossTreat of cultural loss

How it may impact workersHow it may impact workers Bridging a relationshipBridging a relationship



Practice RecommendationsPractice Recommendations SupportSupport Information and educationInformation and education Cultural Sensitive TrainingCultural Sensitive Training


Religious Beliefs and PracticesReligious Beliefs and Practices

OverviewOverview Placement issuesPlacement issues

How it may impact children and familiesHow it may impact children and families Identity conflictsIdentity conflicts

How it may impact workersHow it may impact workers Impact on placementImpact on placement Personal BeliefsPersonal Beliefs


Religious Beliefs and PracticesReligious Beliefs and Practices

Practice RecommendationsPractice Recommendations SupportSupport Information and EducationInformation and Education Spirituality and religion discussions: Out in the Spirituality and religion discussions: Out in the

openopen


Foster care and Adoption Foster care and Adoption LegislationLegislation

MEPA, Multi-Ethnic Placement Act (1994)MEPA, Multi-Ethnic Placement Act (1994) DescriptionDescription Practice ImplicationsPractice Implications

Interethnic Adoption in the Small Business Interethnic Adoption in the Small Business Job Protection Act (1996)Job Protection Act (1996) DescriptionDescription Practice ImplicationsPractice Implications


LegislationLegislation

AACWA, The Adoption Assistance and AACWA, The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act (1980)Child Welfare Act (1980) DescriptionDescription Practice ImplicationsPractice Implications

Adoption and Safe Families Act (1997)Adoption and Safe Families Act (1997) DescriptionDescription Practice ImplicationsPractice Implications


LegislationLegislation

Fleming Rule (1962)Fleming Rule (1962) DescriptionDescription Practice ImplicationsPractice Implications

The Indian Child Welfare Act (1978)The Indian Child Welfare Act (1978) DescriptionDescription Practice ImplicationsPractice Implications


ResourcesResources

Assessment Instrument ToolsAssessment Instrument Tools• RationaleRationale

CaseworkersCaseworkers Potential Foster/Adoptive ParentsPotential Foster/Adoptive Parents Agency programs, policies, and proceduresAgency programs, policies, and procedures


ResourcesResources

Case ScenariosCase Scenarios• RationaleRationale

Bryanne’s Story: Transracial adoption and Bryanne’s Story: Transracial adoption and religious beliefs and practicesreligious beliefs and practices

Ms. Morris’s Decision: Non-traditional families Ms. Morris’s Decision: Non-traditional families and same-sex adoptionand same-sex adoption


Transracial Adoption ResourcesTransracial Adoption Resources

Bill of Rights for Transracially adopted Bill of Rights for Transracially adopted childrenchildren

Multicultural Family Planning and Survival Multicultural Family Planning and Survival Skills ChecklistSkills Checklist

Survival Skills ChecklistSurvival Skills Checklist Seven Common Transracial Parenting Seven Common Transracial Parenting

MistakesMistakes


Website ResourcesWebsite Resources Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute:Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute:

http://www.adoptioninstitute.org/http://www.adoptioninstitute.org/ Inner Circle Foster Care and Adoption Inner Circle Foster Care and Adoption

Services:Services:

http://www.fosterfamily.org/http://www.fosterfamily.org/ North American Council on Adoptable North American Council on Adoptable

Children:Children:

http://www.nacac.org/http://www.nacac.org/


Website ResourcesWebsite Resources The Cherokee NationThe Cherokee Nation

http://www.cherokeekids.org/http://www.cherokeekids.org/ The New York State Citizen Coalition for The New York State Citizen Coalition for

Children, Inc.:Children, Inc.:

http://www.nysccc.org/http://www.nysccc.org/ The National Adoption Information The National Adoption Information

Clearinghouse:Clearinghouse:

http://naic.afc.hhs.gov/http://naic.afc.hhs.gov/


Diversity Issues in Foster Care and Diversity Issues in Foster Care and AdoptionAdoption

The EndThe End

© 2004 CDHS College Relations Group BSC/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Diversity Issues in Foster Care and Adoption Kelly Jackson, MSW, CSW, PhD student.

Documents

adoption transracial

client beliefs

child development slide

sex adoption overview

child welfare trainer

buffalo latise hairston

agency values personal

adoption kelly jackson